New Guinea impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Salice’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Fisnics Salice’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large salmon pink and white bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Fisnics Salice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisnics Salice’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and moderately vigorous New Guinea Impatiens cultivars with large and attractive flowers.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor during the summer of 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany of a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number K02-9114-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number K01-8593-2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal since June, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Fisnics Salice has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fisnics Salice’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fisnics Salice’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large salmon pink and white bi-colored flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in leaf and flower color as plants of the female parent selection have lighter green-colored leaves and light red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have darker salmon pink-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the male parent selection have a more open plant habit and longer internodes than plants of the new Impatiens.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the Impatiens cultivar Fisnics Salmon Ice, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,812. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Fisnics Salmon Ice in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger than plants of the         cultivar Fisnics Salmon Ice.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Fisnics Salmon Ice.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Fisnics Salmon Ice.     -   4. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Fisnics Salmon         Ice differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the Impatiens cultivar Fisupnic Salice, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/330,838, abandoned. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Fisupnic Salice in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were smaller than plants of the         cultivar Fisupnic Salice.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens were less vigorous than plants of         the cultivar Fisupnic Salice.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Fisupnic Salice         differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Fisnics Salice’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Fisnics Salice’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, in containers and under commercial practice during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 22° C. and night temperatures averaging about 16° C. Rooted young plants had been growing for about ten to twelve weeks when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisnics Salice. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens             hawkeri identified as code number K02-9114-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens             hawkeri identified as code number K01-8593-2, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of 22° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at             temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 days             at temperatures of 22° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 21 days             at temperatures of 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; dull to creamy white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading             growth habit; mounded plant habit. Freely branching habit             with about six lateral branches; pinching is typically not             required. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 11.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 21 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 8 cm to 11 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 6 mm to 8 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—181A to 181B; towards the apex, 53A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Typically in whorls; simple.         -   Length.—About 11.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly serrulate with ciliation.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; slightly rugose.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137B to 137C.             Developing foliage, lower surface: 138B. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation, close to 51B. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 139C; venation, 53C.         -   Petiole length.—About 1 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—53C to 53D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded axillary             flowers. Freely flowering habit; usually about five to nine             open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers             positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or             outward. Flowers last about one week under greenhouse             conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall             in Germany. Plants begin flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 8.1 cm. Diameter: About 8.1 cm.             Depth: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 52B.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single             whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.9 cm to 3.1 cm. Length,             lateral petals: About 3.1 cm. Length, lower petals: About             3.2 cm. Width, banner petal: About 5 cm. Width, lateral             petals: About 3.4 cm to 3.6 cm. Width, lower petals: About 4             cm to 4.2 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Emarginate; rounded.             Base: Acute to attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface; 52B; towards the margins, 52A. When opening, lower             surface: Between 50B and 52C. Fully opened, upper surface:             52B; towards the margins, between 52A and 52B; towards the             base, between 56D and 155D; eye zone, 61C. Color becoming             closer to between 65D and 155D with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Between 50B and 52C; color becoming             close to 56D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an             elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm.             Shape: Oval. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147C. Spur length: About             5.5 cm to 6 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 3 mm; at             apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous. Spur             color: 53C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: Upright to outward. Strength: Strong; flexible.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 47A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at             anthers; filaments free. Anther diameter: About 6 mm to             7 mm. Anther color: 52B to 52C. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 11D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Star-shaped.             Stigma color: 4D. Style color: 4D. Ovary color: 183A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea     Impatiens. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging     from about 5° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Salice’ as illustrated and described. 